


Who Knew?

by nerigby96



Category: Martin and Lewis
Genre: 1950s, Fantasizing, Friends With Benefits, Loneliness, M/M, Memories, Open Relationships, Oral Sex, Pining, Swimming Pools
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:48:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27525646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerigby96/pseuds/nerigby96
Summary: 1952He wishes sometimes that Dean would have such a nice time with him, get so carried away making movies, that he’d have to stay the night. They’d make a den in the Playhouse, eat junk all night and throw pillows at each other’s heads.
Relationships: Jerry Lewis/Dean Martin, Tony Curtis/Jerry Lewis
Comments: 6
Kudos: 9





	Who Knew?

Jerry feels toes in the small of his back. He throws a pouty glance over his shoulder, and then goes back to staring at the water. Dark came so quickly tonight he can hardly remember it happening. One minute it was that lovely sleepy gold, still warm even, the water thrown from their heads glistening in the air and nestling like pearls in Tony’s curls; and then it was blue-black and cold, the moon a hangnail reflected wobbly and silver on the pool. They climbed out then, shivering, hurriedly pulling on robes. The girls went in hours ago, sick of the horseplay, the showing off – for each other, more than for them – and are now doing whatever it is they do together, while Tony smokes in a poolside chaise, and Jerry sits before him with his knees against his chest.

The toes are back, stroking now.

The shoot was good today. He grins around his ragged index finger. No, not just good; it was _great_. Jerry felt it in his blood. Subject matter aside, he felt every bit the genius director. And they were listening to him. They fooled around a little, sure, but when he spoke, they listened, they took direction and deferred to him. They _trusted_ him. The day went off without a hitch, every shot perfect and every line delivered to his specification. He’ll do pickups later and ADR and everything, there’s still work to do – plus the planning for the premiere and all the invitations and arrangements – but tonight he can breathe. 

Tony flicks Jerry’s ear with his foot.

It’s always after that’s bad. Well, not _bad_ , exactly, just hard, when all the fun’s over and they’re winding down and packing up, and sure all his friends get to horse around in the pool and have free rein of the Playhouse, and Patti has Sam and Carrie put on a generous spread, but sooner or later they have to go. Today was no different. One by one his friends left, Danny and John and even Hal who, it must be said, is no great friend to Jerry but was kind enough to drop in anyway. Soon everyone was gone save Tony and Janet, who had planned to spend the night anyway, and Dean who – and Jerry fell in love with him all over again for this – stayed longer than he obviously wanted to.

Jerry slaps away Tony’s foot, and tucks his own feet beneath him for some paltry warmth.

The time came – the way it always does – that Dean said he ought to be heading home. Jerry made a show of holding his hand tight and pouting and grousing and asking him to stay. Begging, really, and Dean so kind going along with it, so good to pretend that he didn’t know just how serious his little partner was. Jerry followed him out to the car and put his arms around his neck and asked him quietly again to please please stay. Dean held him at arm’s length and looked at him closely. Then he ruffled his hair and drove off, leaving Jerry in the driveway to watch and watch until he couldn’t read the licence plate anymore, until the Cadillac turned a corner, and longer still, hugging himself.

Tony’s toes knead the small of his back.

Jerry wishes sometimes that Dean would have such a nice time with him, get so carried away making movies, that he’d have to stay the night. _Bubbe it’s too late to drive home now – and all that beer you had, it’s not safe, Jeannie’ll understand, Paul._ They’d make a den in the Playhouse, eat junk all night and throw pillows at each other’s heads. They wouldn’t sleep, not for hours, and Dean would hold him close under the blankets on the bed they made up on the floor and whisper secrets in the dark. He’d be all wrapped up and safe and _indoors_ , importantly, not huddled out here by the pool waiting for whatever has to happen next.

Toes dig into Jerry’s spine.

He sighs. He sucks his bottom lip and stares at the little waves in the pool, at cold silvery moonlight reflected. He shivers. In the corner of his eye, he sees a cigarette flicked into the darkness. Then he turns on hands and knees and lifts the hem of Tony’s bathrobe. It’s too hot under there, and he feels himself catapulted back through the years, slamming into that gangly teenaged frame, perched alone at a bar after his friend got a better offer; the night before, the two of them tangled up in Tony’s sheets, just necking really and some exploration beside, both of them aware without discussion that they really had no idea what to do with each other beyond getting naked and a little messy, but enjoying it immensely anyway, Jerry almost giddy being able to put his mouth and hands wherever he wanted and knowing already that his friend knew more, _got_ more than he ever would, less than a year older but even that was enough of a gap, and a part of him resented that, while yet another accepted it for what it was: just the way of things in this new world he’d stumbled into.

As he takes Tony in his mouth, he thinks about that night, how they’d messed the sheets so bad they’d had to bundle them into the corner and sat smoking in their underwear on the bare mattress, made plans to meet the following evening. Tenuous plans these, always, where Tony was concerned; someone prettier than Jerry needed only to pass by and he’d be after them instead. Again, a part of Jerry had hated this, hated making plans and being blown off, or having Tony arrive only to disappear. Still, he knew these were never _dates_ they made; just two pals meeting for a show, and if they fooled around a little after, then wasn’t that a nice extra?

Who knew they’d still be here? Both married and working, and Jerry with kids even and making more money than either one of them ever could have dreamed, but still with little prompting he goes back to how he was, and all Bernie here has to do is touch him lightly with the tips of his toes. Who knew he’d still be doing this? And not only with Tony, once or twice with Janet, too, and Patti knowing and not saying a word and God he loves her so much and hates he puts her through it. Who knew, on top of that, that the way Tony filled his mouth would become so familiar that it bordered on tedious? Jerry’s barely hard – no bad thing; Tony won’t get him off anyway, and with Patti just inside he won’t allow it, will crawl miserable to bed to beg forgiveness and release there – and at this point it feels like a chore, an obligation.

He wants the asshole to hurry up and finish already so he can go to bed.

Tony sighs and groans and mutters vague obscenities, and Jerry lets his mind wander again. Away from this, though not completely removed; he thinks about Dean, wonders what he’s doing now. Sleeping, Jerry figures, curled on his side with that fist tucked sweetly against his mouth. He wonders if Jeannie did for him tonight the way he’s doing for Tony now. He knows he’d do for Dean, if he’d let him again. Oh, boy, but that is too much, and Jerry drags himself back to his house, to the side of the pool, to Tony shifting his thighs and grunting, and he pulls back a little, one hand working, helping this along, the other braced on Tony’s knee, and with a twinge of guilty pleasure he allows himself the memory of his partner in his mouth instead.

When it’s done, and Tony’s sprawled exhausted in the chaise, Jerry stands with clenched fists and hawks a whitish loogie into his hair.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by that picture of Tony and Jerry by the pool, you know the one.


End file.
